5 Qualities of Luxurious Bathrooms: Create One at Home

Maybe it's because I started reading Cleopatra: A Life, but I have luxury on the brain. Though I haven't come across any descriptions yet, I bet the Queen of the Nile's bathroom had some, if not all, of these five qualities of a truly luxurious bathroom.

Luxurious bathrooms have at least a few of the following:

1. Space. A utilitarian room, most bathrooms are small to allow for more room in other areas of the home. So instantly, a larger bathroom is a luxury. How To: Unless you're gut renovating, creating more square footage is not an option. Create the appearance of more space by removing visual clutter, choosing a monochromatic color palette, and using a few additional luxurious qualities.

2. Light. Skylights, walls of windows, beautiful views. Like space, light is a commodity that can be in short supply, and its abundance in the bathroom is a luxury. How To: If you're lucky enough to have large windows and no close neighbors, consider going bare. If not, stick to sheers or window coverings that let in the most light possible. For those with air shaft views or no windows, consider lighting that mimics natural sunlight.

3. Materials. Luxurious bathrooms use beautiful, natural materials on floors and walls. Granite, marble, river rock, teak: all luxury, all from nature. How To: If you're renovating, invest in quality natural materials. Not only are they luxurious, quality lasts forever and never goes out of style.

4. Texture. Texture wants us to touch. Whether feeling your feet go from the sleek stone floor to the plush sheepskin rug or enveloping yourself in a warm bath surrounded by velvet curtains, textures create intimacy. How To: Though easier to implement than the proceeding qualities, it's the hardest for upkeep. Bathrooms are warm, wet and steamy, not the best conditions for sheepskin rugs and velvet curtains. Consider varying texture in other ways: plush towels and bathrobes, a teak or rock mat to contrast with stone floors.

5. Detail. Fireplaces, sofas, tufted gold bathtubs, bronze statues- all are details that personalize the space. But detail doesn't have to be large and over the top. How To: Here is a quality that every bathroom can use to incorporate some luxury. Something as simple as a tray with a candle, a book and some tea, a chandelier or pretty decorative storage can elevate a space. Whatever your definition of luxury, you can recreate it in the details.